As parents, it’s something we always worry about in the back of our minds – the health of our children. With developmental disabilities on the rise (a study from the June 2011 issue of Pediatrics showed that developmental disabilities were reported in 1 in 6 children in the United States in 2006-2008) the likelihood of your child having a disability is real.
So, the question to ask is, would you know what to do if your child has been diagnosed with a disability? Probably not. The good news is that no matter the type of disability or the age of the child when the diagnosis occurs, the steps are similar. Breezy Mama turned to Dennis Allen, CEO of Hattie Larlham (www.hattielarlham.org) for advice on how to navigate services and be your child’s best advocate.
You hear the term “intellectual” and “developmental” disabilities. How are they the same? How are they different?
There’s a great deal of terminology in the field of disabilities. An intellectual disability falls under the broader category of developmental disabilities. Individuals with a developmental disability have a mental and/or physical impairment that impacts their mobility/motor functions, the way they learn or the way they socialize. It’s important to understand that [Read more…] about How Not to Feel ‘Disabled’ When You Discover Your Child Has a Disability